


Accidents Happen

by queen_tommo



Series: One Direction Alphabet Challenge [1]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Oneshot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-28
Updated: 2015-09-28
Packaged: 2018-04-23 18:21:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4886974
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/queen_tommo/pseuds/queen_tommo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I just. Y'know. I'd never hit you."<br/>Louis accidentally gives himself a black eye and people just assume.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Accidents Happen

**Author's Note:**

  * For [zistysfosgerald](https://archiveofourown.org/users/zistysfosgerald/gifts).



Louis walking around with a self-inflicted black eye was funny in the beginning. Harry got to hear the grumbling and whines and huffs first hand and he would laugh into his hands because if Louis heard him laughing, he'd be in for a rant all his own. It was hilarious, constantly hearing the story of Louis struggling to wrench the cap off of the toothpaste until his hand slipped off and he popped himself in the face. It was good. It was fun. Harry was all smiles and Louis was grumpy and things were okay.

But now Louis' taking it outside and he's side by side with Harry and everyone's. Everyone's staring.

He doesn't understand why at first. Does everyone really care that much about why this stranger has a black eye? No one's asking. In fact, most of them are in shock, or even glaring, and about ninety percent of the stares are directed at Harry, anyway, so what's the big idea? He puts his arm around Louis protectively at times, but it only makes the glares heavier or the wide eyes wider.

Why? What did he do?

He's ready to vent to Louis and his silly black eye when the elder announces that he's got to take a piss now or he's going to explode. He tries to break away from Harry as Harry talks, resulting in a tug-of-war of sorts, Louis' arm acting as the rope. Louis snaps, "Let go of me, Harold!" and Harry snaps back, "Just get over here, I'm talking to you!" and people are watching and all they see is the black eye and the aggression and.

Oh.

Harry lets Louis go in an instant when he realizes there's a crowd beginning to form, allowing Louis to stalk off to find a restroom. He falls onto a bench as the crowd takes their time fading away, discomfort and shame welling up quicker than ever. He gets it now. Shit. He gets it now.

They think he gave Louis that black eye, don't they? They think because Harry's a few inches taller and has more muscle that he's the one who punched Louis in the face. They think…oh, they think he's an abuser?

He still feels everyone's gazes on his back as he tries to hide himself. This isn't fair. He punched himself, he really did!

When Louis returns, a bit of a scowl on his face from the way Harry just tried to wrench him around, he's not in the mood to travel around the shopping center at two miles an hour. He's got his arms crossed and his eyes narrowed and he's ready to go until he realizes Harry is hunched over and refusing to move, despite knowing that Louis is back.

"Hazza," he says quietly, nudging Harry's foot with his own. Their frayed laces tangle for moments before Harry pulls his back sharply, startling Louis. "Oh. Um. Are you okay, Haz? What's wrong? Did something happen when I left, then?"

"They think I hit you," exclaims the younger all of a sudden, his green eyes wide with in shed tears. They're already turning red. Louis' heart breaks at the sight, urging him to sit beside Harry and assume the role of the more mature this time. He strokes Harry's back easily, watches him carefully as Harry goes on, "They think I hurt you because I'm bigger than you, Lou, but-but it's not my fault, it was a goddamn toothpaste cap! I wouldn't…I-I wouldn't—"

"I know you wouldn't," Louis shushes him, kissing his cheek, trying to relax him. He doesn't think they brought Harry's inhaler. The last thing they need is any sort of trigger for a breathing issue. "I wouldn't be here right now trying to calm you down, would I? I know who you are, Hazza, who gives a damn what they think?"

"I just. Y'know. I'd never hit you," Harry whimpers pathetically, taking this more to heart than the ending of his favorite book series. What a soft heart. "I promise I wouldn't."

"I know. I would go and do something dumb like hit myself, though." He kisses Harry's cheek again, asks him to please relax, please relax. It takes time, but slowly, slowly, it happens. Glares ease up as people pass when they hear Louis loudly (and purposefully) boast, "I've gotta be the only man that can nail himself in the face opening toothpaste!" with a smile, trying to knock people off of Harry's face and bring a smile back.

"How'd you do it?" Harry asks timidly, no doubt searching for the story, searching for a laugh. At the sake of his dignity, Louis situates himself on the hard plastic of the bench, crosses one leg over the other, and places a hand on Harry's slightly shaking thigh before starting.

"Well, you see, Harry, it all started when I, an innocent young lad, decided to freshen up before awaking my darling curly-headed boyfriend. So I headed to the bathroom to discover said curly head had purchased this newfangled bitch of a toothpaste tube upon running out! What the hell, right?" He smiles when he sees a hint of Harry's smile, pokes at Harry's dimple before continuing. "So I tried to open it without his help. I used my teeth, hit it on the sink, did everything I could! Until all I had left were my hands. They were a little slick from all my stress, but I was fine. I was a big boy. So I struggled with trying to wrench the cap off, and bam! Right in me eye! I punched the hell out of it, really. Y'know, if you couldn't tell."

And Louis punctuates the story with a final cheek kiss, hoping that the world hears and understands. Harry would never lay a hand on him (unless it was under the sheets and all caution was thrown to the wind, but!) and he's a complete idiot and he's throwing that tube of toothpaste away and he really hopes he never has to tell that story again. It's just a tad embarrassing.


End file.
